Phosphate-impregnated magnesite brick



B. DAVIES ET AL PHOSPHATE-IMPREGNATED MAGNESITE BRICK June 10, 1969 sheet @f2 Filed Jan. 9, 1967 United States Patent O 3 449 138 PHosPHATE-IMPREGAED MAGNESITE BRICK Ben Davies and George F. Carini, Pittsburgh, Pa., as-

signors to Dresser Industries, Inc., a corporation of ICC and having a lime:silica ratio between 2:1 and 5:1 are impregnated with suicient soluble phosphate such that the CaO:SiO2:P2O5 -ratio falls within area A-B-C-D-E on FIG. 1. Preferably, the magnesite brick should contain about 1% CaO-l-Si02, and up to 3% R203 oxides (viz.,

Delaware 5 r i Jan. 9, ser. No. F6203, CI2O3, and A1203). Preferably, th@ R203 OXldeS Int. ci. C046 35/04 are less than 1%- U.S. Cl. 106--58 5 Claims BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a ternary diagram which graphically shows the CaO:SiO :P O weight ratios which are suitable for TRA 'IHE SURE 2 2 5 ABS CT 0,1; i DISCLO i phosphate-impregnated magnesite brick made according Burned magnesite brick impregnated with a soiuble to thisinvention PhOSPhaf Which brlck .develop Calclum SOdlUm s111510' FIG. 2 contains an X-ray diffraction pattern of one of phosphate or calcium silicophosphate bonds on heating the examples hereinafter discussed. and methods of making said brick. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Further features and other objects and advantages of BACKGROUND thisbinventionf vlvillt lecoriiehclefaruto those sklillddin the ar y a care u su y o t e o owing etaie escrip- 1u recent Work (oopeudlugf'ppuoauou Serf' No' 5.551? 3 20 tion. In the detailed description, all percentages and ratios ulod, Juno 7 19.66. enuueo Maguesuo Re roctones thy and parts are by weight; chemical analyses were obtained 'Dawes and Caruu assigned to the sumo asslgueo is his by spectrographic analysis with control iby wet chemical caso) now U'SI Patont No' .33900021 1t Woo fou t at analysis, and are reported as oxides in accordance with burned magnesite brick, having a calcium sllicophosphate the present primice of the reiractories industry bond, could be manufactured and had increased high-tem- The detailed discussion is made with reference to the Porature Strength as measured oy modulus .of rupture' It FIG. 1, which is a ternary diagram on which the relative has also been found (uopeudmg appuoauou ser' No proportions of CaO, SiO2, and P205 of the exemplary 6,07983. med Jan' 9 1967. now .auudouod .enuueg mixes are plotted. Proportions were calculated from the Cueruloauy Bonded Magueslto .Buck by. Dawes an chemical analyses without reference to MgO or other ox- Carini, assigned to the -saine assignee as this case) that ides, the mai-Or components 0f the refractory which, of unburned magnesite brick could be manufactured with course have no inuence on proportions of the Cao., a sodium phosphate binder which had extremely high Sioz, and P205I strength as measured by modulus of rupturo at elovated The diagram utilizes the principles which characterize temperatures os a rosult of the formation m Service .of all such three-component systems. In the diagram, each a Calcium soulum sufoophosphato uoud I uovo uow.`d1s` 35 side of an equilateral triangle was divided into 100 parts, oovored tout 1t 1S possible to prof/1de ouheatmg a oalomm each fth part being intersected by a line parallel to each Sodlum sulcuphosuuate or oaloulm suloophospuato oo u of the other two sides. A point at each corner represents in burned magnesite brick having controlled limezsilica 100 parts, by weight, of one of the three Components. lratiosby impregnating the burned brick with a soluble 40 For exampie in a diagram the apex represents 100 parts PhOSPhate; of SiO2; the lower left-hand corner represents 100 parts Maguesuo buck ae mauufaoturoo Substanuuuy from of CaO; and the lower right-hand corner represents 100 dead burned Iuaguesla Wuloh m the rofraotones art 1S parts of P205. In any ternary diagram, the three sides are termed mgleslte- Cefamlluf uondd buck are those binary systems. For example, the point on the base line s which are .bonded by the Smtermg Whlch takes place dur' 5 composed exclusively of the lower corner components 111g a bu'mmg Process 4 CaO and P205. The lrelative distance of a point from each BRIEF DESCRIPTION of the three corners maybe expressedin parts; and it, thus,

may represent a proportion composition of a ternary mix- This invention is predicated on the discovery that ture. All points on a line through one of the corners must burned magnesite brick having a limezsilica ratio between have ythe same ratio of the components of the other two 2:1 and 5 1, when impregnated with a controlled amount corners, of soluble phosphate, developed a calcium-sodium silicO- A series of burned magnesite brick was prepared (Exphosphate or a calcium silicophosphate bond in service. amples I, II and III) as shown in Table I. The brick had According to this invention, burned magnesite brick condifferent lime:silica ratios. Their chemical analyses are taining at least MgO and, preferably, 94% MgO also shown in Table I. Several brick of each example were TABLE Example No I Ia II IIa III IIIa IIIb Impregnation None None None Solution of nietaphosphate glass,

strength of solution, percent 25 25 25 37. 5 Cltieiiiical ragisiiercent (after 1 El I essiiii (S102) 0.34 0.34 1.8 1.7 1.0 1.0 0.96 Alumina (A1203) 0.30 0.32 0.6i 0.66 0.37 0.37 0. 3s Iron (rego.) 0.52 0.60 1.6 1.6 0.46 0. 46 0.44 Limeao) 3.4 3.4 4.6 4.6 3.0 2.9 2.7 Magnesia (MgO) The remainder Phosphorous oxide (P205) 0.05 0.5 0.05 0.40 0.05 1.2 1.6 M dilsliimnfoxidte (Bio3) 0.12 0.09 0.13 0.09 0.10 0.10 0.10 o Atuzsiiosuiuflf'flsfl" 520 1, 700 47o 890 1,110 1, 930 630 At 2,600 160 1,220 s0 240 At 2,70013` 220 610 250 1 Modulus o rupture was measured substantially according to ASTM Method 0133-55, Manual o ASTM Standards on Refractory Materials, 9th edition, (1963), pages 145 et seq., except that the test was perfumed in an electrically-heated furnace. In n0 case is the depth of the test samples less than 1% inches.

tested without impregnating for hot strength (modulus of rupture) at 2300 F. and at 2600 F. or 2700 F. Other brick (Examples Ia, IIa, and IIIa) were impregnated with a 25% solution of a sodium metaphosphate glass. Thereafter, they were dried at about 250 F. for about 10 hours. These impregnated brick also were tested for hot tensile strength. The chemical analyses after testing at 2300 F. is shown for the impregnated brick. Brick according to Example III were also impregnated with a 37.5% solution of a sodium metaphosphate glass (Example IIIb) and subjected to the same tests as the other brick.

The preceding table establishes that impregnating with a soluble phosphate increases the strength of magnesite brick at elevated temperatures two or threefold, or even more. The best mode now known for the practice of this invention is embodied in Example Ia. Notice that Examples Ia and IIIa have moduli of ruptures in excess f 500 p.s.i. at temperatures of 2600 F. or higher. Example IIIb was impregnated with too much phosphate and, therefore, does not have the proper Ca0:Si02:P2O5 ratio to develop calcium silicophosphates in service.

The lime:silica ratios of the magnesite brick are critical. Brick having lime:silica ratios of less than 2:1 do not develop hot strength on impregnating with phosphates. Brick having lime:silica ratios in excess of 5:1 are very difficult to manufacture because of their tendency to hydrate.

According to this invention, it is permissible to impregnate with any soluble phosphate which includes, among others, the sodium phosphate glasses and the sodium phosphate salts and phosphoric acid. However, the amount of P205 added is critical. The Ca0tSi02iP205 ratio must be controlled if high-temperature strength is to be obtained.

While I do not completely understand the scientific basis of the invention, I believe phosphate impregnation imparts high-temperature strength to burned magnesite brick by the development on heating of a calcium sodium silicophosphate or a calcium silicophosphate bond. A calcium sodium silicophosphate solid solution is developed in reactions between sodium phosphate and calcium silicates, calcium silicates containing calcium phosphates in solid solution, or calcium silicophosphates at relatively low temperatures (below 2300 F.). The solid state reaction is aided apparently by the reaction-accelerating effect of the sodium cation. The refractoriness of the system is apparently not affected detrimentally by the limited presence of sodium. Sodium enters the calcium silicophosphate structure filling calcium vacancies in the lattice which are unoccupied because of the difference in valence between SiO., and P04 groups. In effect, the sodium ions are isolated and not available for -reaction with other components to form low-melting compounds. The structure of the calcium sodium silicophosphate solid solution is analogous to the high-temperature form of the calcium silicophosphate solid solution series.

X-ray diffraction studies were made of Examples III, IIIa, and IIIb after heating to 2300 F. to obtain a better understanding of this invention. The X-ray diffraction patterns are shown in FIG. 2. The predominant mineral phase (other than periclase represented by the two largest peaks) found in Example III was bredigite. Examples IIIa and IIIIJ, which rwere impregnated with sodium phosphate had a calcium sodium silicophosphate phase replacing the bredigite. Example IIIa, made according to this invention, has outstanding high-temperature strength, whereas Example IlIb does not. This demonstrates that formation of a calcium silicophosphate or calcium sodium silicophosphate phase is only part of the invention and that the Ca0:SiO2:P205 ratio of the phosphate phase is critical.

PHASE STUDIES Standard X-ray powder diffraction procedures were followed in the qualitative determination of the phase composition of the refractory test specimens.

A General Electric XRD-5 X-ray Diffractometer unit equipped with spectrogoniometer, gas-dow proportional counter, and potentiometric strip-chart recorder was used. Powder mounts were scanned in the angular range 5 t0 20 using Ni-filtered Cu Ka radiation. Instrument settings were: tube voltage 50 kv.; tube current l3.5-l5.5 ma.; input discriminator 2.5 v.; beam slit 3; receiving slit 0.2"; time constant 2 seconds; recorder range 2000 counts per second; and scanning speed 2 20 per minute.

Interplanar (d) spacings and relative intensities of reections were determined from diffraction patterns by calculation using tables of interplanar spacings as a function of 20 and by visual estimation with a calibrated scale. Identification of the difracting phases was effected following a standardized procedure in which d values and relative intensities lwere compared with published diffraction data and reference patterns. The primary reference source for powder diffraction data was the Powder Diffraction File, published by the American Society for Testing Materials (1964). The Numerical (Hanawalt), Alphabetical (Davey), and Fink indexes to the Powder Diffraction File were used. Additional diffraction data was obtained from published scientific papers.

Having thus described the invention in detail and with sufficient particularity as to enable those Vskilled in the art to practice it, what is desired to have protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the following claims.

We claim:

1. Burned magnesite brick consisting essentially of at least MgO, at least 1% CaO-i-Si02, less than 3% R202 oxides, having a Ca0:SiO2 ratio between 2:1 and 5:1, impregnated with sufficient soluble phosphate such that the brick has a CaO:Si02:P205 ratio within area A-B-C-D-E on FIG. 1.

2. Brick according to claim 1 in which the R203 oxides are less than 1%.

3. Brick according to claim 1 comprising at least 94% MgO.

4. Brick according to claim 1 having a modulus of rupture at 2600 F. in excess of 500 p.s.i.

5. Method of improving the hot strength as measured by modulus of rupture of burned magnesite brick consisting essentially of 90% MgO, at least 1% Ca0--l-Si02, less than 3% R202 oxides, having a CaOtSiO2 ratio between 2:1 and 5:1, comprising impregnating the brick with suicient soluble phosphate such that the brick have a CaO:SiO2:P205 ratio within area A-B-C-D-E on FIG. 1.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS JAMES E. POER, Primary Examiner.

U.S. C1. X.R. 106-'63 

